DHS Headquarters
Washington D.C.
John walked onto the third floor of Building 33 of the Nebraska Avenue Complex. A former Naval facility, DHS had been moved there right from inception and it would continue to function there until it's headquarters was completed in Anacostia. The first thing john saw as he walked in to their workspace was his partner Jake Acevedo shamelessly flirting with his very pretty secretary. The dark haired Latino smiled wide and said something that had her laughing. John, who had long held true to the belief that you don't rut in your office space cleared his throat.
"Morning John." Jake said with a smile, "I was just telling Sarah about those cheap pickup lines Carl was using on Saturday over at Lennie's."
His secretary grinned again, "Every time I think I've heard them all Carl comes up with something new and Jake here is just dying to share them with me."
"I'll bet." John grunted, "Did you get me what I asked for?"
His partner held up an envelope, "Yep, whataya say we take a look?"
John unlocked his office door and let Jake in before turning back to Sarah. "Any messages waiting?"
She nodded and held up a slip of paper, "Someone named Ella Poe wanted you to call her this afternoon. She said you'd know when she goes on shift."
"Thanks." He said and took the paper.
"I'd set up the appointment for you but I don't have any contact information for Ella Poe and she refuses to leave her number." Her voice was frustrated.
He smiled reassuringly, "It's a CI that sometimes gives me information. She's not going to leave any info and she's off the book so there's no sheet on her."
She smirked at him in that naughty way, "Bad boy." She chided, trying to look cute.
"Just an underpaid public servant like yourself. Take down any calls. I'm working out an Op with Jake for a while."
She nodded and sat down at her desk as he went in and locked the door.
"Man, If you aren't going to hit that, at least open it up for me."
John shook his head at his partner. "Forget it, she can't keep her mouth shut. And besides. Odds are she'll get fed up and quit for Justice or Quantico, or become a White house intern."
Jake smiled, "I know, that's why I want to play Oval Office, Clinton Style." He started laughing as he opened the large envelope to reveal a file.
"Which Clinton?" he said. "From what I hear they both like interns on their knees."
Jake laughed again and handed over the file. "This is the guy I saw Abbie with at Union Station yesterday. He's one of ours."
"DHS?" John asked.
"FBI." Came the reply. "Part of the Special Investigations Division. Specifically, he's the Liaison to the Jeffersonian's Medico Legal Forensics Lab."
John leaned back in his chair, "Why would Abbie be meeting with the Jeffersonian Liaison?"
"Don't know." Jake said and plopped onto the couch next to the wall, "I went there as you asked after I lost her at Penn Station. I know she went to New York and hopped the Subway but that's as far as I got. I was at Union Station waiting for her like you asked and I saw her get off the train. This guy got up off the bench and met up with her. They sat down at the Morning Joe's for a good half hour but I couldn't hear what they were talking about."
John finally leaned towards his desk and flipped through the file. He stopped as he saw the picture. "I've seen him before."
Jake sat up, "Where?"
"At my house." John growled, "He was at my house a few months ago, Abbie was in his car looking over a file. She said he wanted a consult on a case. Later she said the case was dropped."
"No case that hits that guy's desk gets dropped." Jake said pointedly. "He investigates hard to identify bodies and once he and that team set their sights on it, it doesn't get dropped, it gets solved."
John flipped through page after page of Booth's file, "Married to Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian, with one child, Christine."
"My guy at Hoover said Brennan is expecting again."
"Decorated Veteran, Ranger Sniper. Highly decorated Agent, teaches at Quantico when he's not tied up with cases." John slapped the file closed, "Does this seem like the kind of guy who'd fuck around on his wife with another man's wife."
"Hoover and Quantico both rave about the man's loyalties." Jake said, "Though a pregnant wife can be a turnoff for any man."
"He wasn't in New York?"
"Nope," Jake said firmly, "I did some checking and he and his wife," Jake stood up and looked at the file, "Bones… were out at a grizzly murder scene in Tallahassee. I've got seventeen witnesses to it."
John closed the file on his desk and leaned back again, "So if Abbie's not fucking this guy, then why is she disappearing every other week on Tuesday and what the hell is going on in New York?"
"Don't know that either." Jake ran a hand through his short hair, "Booth has been to New York City twice in a month but he didn't go there with anything and he didn't come back with anyone. But there's one thing that I can tell you."
"What's that?" John asked.
"I got a friend who helped me out with Penn Stations CCTV system. Abbie got off the DC connector and moved two platforms over to the New England Connector."
"The stops?"
"Hartford, Providence, Boston, and Concord." He said, "New York is out of her jurisdiction since she works the D.C. District. So that means the New England Capitals are way out of bounds."
"That means it's personal." John said. "How sure are you that Abbie hopped the Subway this time?"
"I saw her on the train with my own eyes," he said, "Maybe she saw me following her."
"I doubt it." John said, "She's smart but…maybe she was just using a different routing to get there." John turned on his computer and accessed the transit authority schedule in and out of New York City.
"The train you said she was on does run to Kennedy Airport." He scrolled through the airline information, "And there's a puddle jumper to Concord that afternoon. Nothing for Providence, Boston or Hartford."
"What you want to do?" Jake asked.
"First, She's lying about where she's been and what she's doing so whatever it is, it's either an affair or it's business." He sighed and leaned back again, cupping his hands together behind his head as he regarded his friend, "The easiest way to find out which one is to visit my little birdie over at Justice. She can sniff around and find out if Abbie's on a multi jurisdictional case."
"And the second?" Jake asked with a grin.
"Second, I need to make arrangements to pay my birdie." He grinned, "Informants don't work for free."
Office of United States Attorney Charles Bellamy
Washington DC
Signing off on a Witness Protection Approval, he sighed as another criminal got away with crimes just to save his own skin. But the information the new witness provided was well worth the pardon. Besides, if the criminal slipped up just enough, he'd get bounced back here for trial. Charlie was the one who had added that clause to the Witsec Document and he was assured that it would be added to their Memorandum of Understanding before the witness arrived at… wherever the hell he was going.
"Nick Devalos," he said out loud, "Hope to see you back here after trial so you can get yours."
He slid the page into the envelope for the US Marshal Service. They'd send an Inspector over to retrieve it and the other documents this afternoon. The next file on his stack of paperwork was one of Abbie's cases. He smiled warmly as he reviewed the file. For the last ten years Abbie Griffin had been a hell of a prosecutor and once again, he was happy that he'd poached her from the New York Office. It was a decision that he'd never once regretted and was often proud of. He reviewed the findings, evidence, court recordings, and transcripts. She was thorough and concise, an a no holds barred fighter in the court. For the last three years he'd assigned her to more than two dozen high profile cases, several of them as his second chair. She'd only lost twice in the last three years and those were part of a series of weak cases handed down from some other prosecutor who was fired. She'd won five and lost two, better than the other two prosecutors he'd given the rest of the caseload to.
Finding her very neat handwritten notes on the case, he flipped through and found what he thought he'd find. A very well laid case that resulted in two lifetime sentences. He thought it a waste of time reviewing her cases since he knew that she'd done everything possible. He trusted her judgment implicitly. But as her boss he had an obligation to look over everyone's cases without exception but Abbie was the only choice to replace him should he be appointed Attorney General as his dear friend, Republican favorite Marcus Grissom had assured him would be his first order of business should he win the election. He signed his name on the final report and closed the file, stacking it on the others.
He was reaching for the next one when a knock sounded on his door. Since his secretary Sylvia hadn't announced who it was, Charlie knew who was outside. The only person he had a completely open door policy with.
"Come in, Abbie." He said as he opened the file in front of him.
Abbie stepped in and closed the door behind her, that in itself was enough to catch his attention.
"Something on your mind?" he asked.
"Yeah, um." She moved to sit in front of his desk, "I have a really big case I've been working on."
He frowned at her, "I didn't think the Jorgensen case was that big. Something develop I wasn't aware of?"
She shook her head, "No, that's going to be done this week but I've been working this one on the side."
His eyes widened, "Abigail."
"I know, we've always talked about what I was doing but after you hear the details of this one, you'll understand why I kept it quiet."
Charlie frowned, closed the file in front of him and picked up the phone. "Sylvia, hold all calls for me would you please? Thank you."
He set it down and leaned back in his chair, cupping his hands together. "Okay, tell me what's got you of all people looking like she's in the principal's office."
Booth sat quietly in the waiting area with the complete and undisclosed files in his hand. Abbie had gone into her boss's office nearly fifteen minutes ago and he was only waiting for her to come and get him. He'd never met USA Bellamy but Abbie had assured him multiple times that he was one of the good guys. Booth had asked Caroline Julian about him and found that he'd fought several cases on principle alone. He wasn't afraid to stand up against a judge or the DOJ, and he'd spent several nights in the Court cells for Contempt of Court. Honestly, Booth had wished he had met Bellamy before. He had several cases where the man's tenacity could have swayed verdicts.
His thoughts were interrupted by the double doors opening and Abbie sticking her head out, "Booth."
He rose up to his feet and nodded to the brunette behind the desk as he walked towards the door.
Bellamy stood at six foot three, had a thin frame, light blonde hair, and deep blue eyes. the vaguest appearance of a five o'clock shadow just beginning to darken his jaw. His suit was what one would expect of a well paid attorney, not Armani, but a well priced off the rack that had been tailored to fit him. What booth hadn't expected was for a man in his late fifties to look like he was in his late thirties.
Bellamy frowned at him thoughtfully, and waved a finger at him, "Madison Grille. You were at the table before we arrived."
The name sent recognition through him, "I remember. I thought you were one of her coworkers or something."
"FBI Special Agent Booth," Abbie said and turned to her boss, "USA Charles Bellamy."
"I understand that you have been stealing my best litigator for your case." Bellamy shook hands with Booth and moved back to his chair.
"I needed someone I could trust." Booth said and joined him by sitting in the seat that didn't have Abbie''s jacket draped over it. "Abbie came highly recommended."
"AUSA Julian too much for you?" he chuckled. "My understanding is that you have a long history with Caroline, it's why I assigned her to the Jeffersonian cases when I was given this office."
"This case didn't come from the Jeffersonian." Abbie said calmly as she sat down. "I've been assisting Agent Booth's investigation into a Senator of the United States."
Bellamy's eyes widened, "Are you joking? You're looking in to a US senator and you don't think that I should get a head's up?" He paused and leaned forward, "Tell me it's not Grissom."
"It's not, Charlie." Abbie said, "Believe me, If it was Marcus, I would have sent Booth to the DOJ specifically to avoid putting you in that position."
Bellamy breathed again, "I sincerely hope that what you have isn't circumstantial."
"It's solid." Booth said. "That's why I asked Abbie to help me put the case together for trial. I know that despite claims to the contrary, the burden of proof against a sitting Senator is far beyond what I've previously dealt with."
"And you didn't tell me about this, why?" He asked Abbie.
"Because who we're going after is very dangerous." Abbie said, "Charlie, I didn't consult with Booth on his case lightly. This guy has already had others killed and I wasn't about to put you, me, Booth, or our families in danger so we dug the well very quietly."
"Not to mention that there are others involved in this that are in danger too." Booth said, "There are two detectives who put me on this case and as soon as the suspect gets even a hint that he's being looked at, hell kill them and their families in a hurry. I can't let that happen either."
Bellamy closed his eyes and sighed, "Abbie, give it to me straight. How serious is this?"
"It's bad, Charlie." She raised her hand to her head and rested it on her fingertips, "A man who has ties to a drug cartel in Colombia has the finances from several major narcotics organizations and the morality of a Gatling Gun wants to get elected to the Presidency and if we don't bring him down, he very well might get there."
"If what you're saying is true, this could be the most dangerous case ever to cross my desk." Bellamy said and looked straight at Abbie. "Thank you for bringing this to me and for your discretion. If you will excuse us Abbie."
She glanced to Booth and back to Charlie. "You're asking me to leave?"
"Yes, I am." He said, "Focus on the Jorgensen case. Booth and I will discuss his case carefully."
Abbie nodded, stood up and shook Booth's hand, "Good luck, Seeley."
After she'd left Bellamy turned towards Booth. "I see now why you didn't bring in Caroline. Regardless of her previous involvement, I do not want Abbie involved any further."
"Sir, with all respect, I can't think of a better person to try this case." Booth replied. "She was there for every major discovery and knows the case from front to back."
"But Abbie has a very good career ahead of her, Agent Booth." Bellamy said, "And this case is will put an end to that career."
"Sir, with all due respect-"
"Please, don't." Charlie said holding up a hand to him, "Let's see what you have and then we can go over who will try the case."
Booth sighed and handed over the thick file in his hand, "This is what we're looking at."
Bellamy took the file and set it in front of him.
"Who's your suspect?" He said and opened the manila folder.
"New York Senator William Bracken."
Bellamy looked through the file carefully from cover to cover. Asking Booth questions about his leads and his evidence and about the dangers involved. What he found was appalling and more than anything, he was grateful that Booth hadn't gone with a full out investigation, more than likely following Abbie's instruction. He could see her touch all over the case. Finally Charlie closed the file and set it on his desk.
"This case is going to shake Washington to it's foundations." Bellamy said finally, "The sheer scope and weight of it means that I am the only one here who can prosecute it."
"Abbie said that you're a shoe in for AG should the republicans win the election." Booth replied as he picked up his coat. "This case will end that for you."
Nodding solemnly, Bellamy looked up at Booth. "Yes, however I have a responsibility to the people to seek justice and protect the constitution. I'm the logical choice for the case, I have the experience and the conviction to see it through."
"There has to be someone else." Booth said. "Someone who is ready to take the heat."
"Who, Agent Booth." Bellamy replied firmly, "Crossing Abbie's name off the top of a very short list of capable attorneys leaves four others. First being Alexandra Cabot, she's got a very good understanding of both Law and Politics. She's experienced and driven."
"I know of Cabot." Booth leaned forward, "I have it on good authority that her political ambitions would get in the way of the trial."
"Are you referring to her desire to run for New York Senator." Bellamy cupped his hands, "Because if Bracken Goes down, it gives her the chance to replace him in the Senate."
"That could look like a perceived agenda." Booth sighed.
"Yes, it would." Charlie sighed. "According to to Abbie, she'd turn the case down just for that alone."
"Not to mention as an up and coming politician, who really knows who she owes political markers to. One thing that is very clear is that Bracken is owed more favors than he himself owes. The possibility of one of the Senator's supporting parties not having a marker with Cabot can't be left to chance."
"Which lead us to Adam Sullivan." Charlie waved a hand, "He's a good man, good history, with the right back ground. Very skilled at these kind of high publicity cases."
"I know him from one of my cases, he was a great attorney once but he's quick to settle now." Booth argued. "I can't conduct a RICO investigation if he pleas out."
"Kimberly Greylek from the Justice Department." Bellamy suggested.
"I've heard far too many things about Greylek for my liking." Booth said, "I've heard that she's a crusader but I've had more than a few people tell me that she's the only one really saying that."
"I've hear her say the same thing." Bellamy chuckled, "Constance Griffiths. She's a newer attorney from Los Angeles but she's had a few headlines. Particularly with the Seybolt triple murder."
"I read about that one." Booth thought about the name and then it dawned on him, "Wait, I know her, She was the attorney who got that cop cleared of the life sentence after twelve years."
"And that puts her in a very objective light." Charlie said, "She gets a wrongly accused man out of prison after twelve years then buries a US Senator for treason. But this is the kind of case you retire from, not start a career on. Simply put, Agent Booth, there is no one who I can in good conscience lay this case on."
"Sir, with all due respect," Booth leaned forward and cupped his hands together. "Abbie told me a lot about you and what your going to do as the Attorney General, and with respect, we need someone like that in that office."
"Abbie is not trying this case, Booth." Bellamy reaffirmed. "I am and I do not want her involved or have anything further to do with this case!"
He sat up a little higher and looked at the lawyer, "Why is it so important for Abbie to stay out of this?"
Bellamy shook his head, "Because when I'm gone, Abbie is going to take my place as the USA for DC. In a few years she may just end up being the US Attorney General and she'll be far better at it than I'll ever be. But if she's in on this one, she'll go down with the rest of us and I care about her far to much to let her fall on her sword. That's my job as her boss, to protect and to serve. I will protect her, Agent Booth, and I'll serve the citizens of the United States by bringing down a traitor."
"Mom?"
Abbie looked up from the empty garbage bag she was replacing under the kitchen sink to see her son standing in the hallway, dressed for bed, but with his hand on the wall. She quickly checked her watch and frowned. "Jeremy, you're supposed to be in bed. Remember the game tomorrow?"
He came into the kitchen and picked up the full bag, "I can't sleep."
He opened the back door and put the bag in the roll out can. When he came back inside his mother was warming up a small sauce pan of milk and pouring Swiss Miss in it. She could see that he was antsy as he shut the door and leaned on it, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm sure it's just pregame jitters. Fairfax is a tough team." She said as she poured the pan into a coffee mug and stirred it.
"It's not the game, Mom." He said as she placed the cup on the table. "It's you."
She looked up at him and her deep brown eyes searched his, "Me!?"
He walked over to the table and sat down, taking the mug into his hands "There's something going on lately and it's bothering you."
She sighed heavily and went back to the sink to rinse out the pan before placing it in the dishwasher. "Look, your dad and I-"
"It's not Dad." He cut her off. Abbie turned sideways to look at him. "When you and dad fight, it's like you become supermom. You hover right over all of us trying to be there for us, keep us distracted. But, when something bothers you like whatever it is, you make comfort food like the smoked briskets, okra, and black beans we had tonight."
"Jeremy." She said and went to sit next to him. "It's not like that."
"You haven't used the smoker in the back yard in two years." He looked at her with a disbelieving expression. "Want to tell another one, Counselor?"
Abbie narrowed her eyes, her voice hardening to a mother's stern tone. "Jeremy Malcolm Griffin. Don't you take that tone with me or call me counselor again. I get enough of both at work."
He crossed his arms and stared defiantly, "Then don't act like a lawyer. I know that something is bothering you."
Gah, sometimes I hate how smart you are. Abbie closed her eyes and thought hard about what she was going to say. Finally she came to a decision.
"Come with me." She gently grabbed his shoulder and walked towards her bedroom.
Jeremy followed her but actually got nervous when she lead him inside. His parents room had always been off limits to him and his brothers except for when one of them was really in trouble.
She pointed to the king size bed centered on one wall, "Sit."
He complied, reluctantly, as she stood arms crossed just like she would if he was in trouble.
"Remember a few weeks ago I told you that I got offered a big case?"
That was when Jeremy saw it. His mother was nervous about something, agitated even. What ever was going on, it was really bothering her.
"Yeah." He said straightly. "You said he hurts people."
"He kills people, Jeremy." She said leaning closer towards him, "I don't want the case because the bad guy would do anything to anyone to stop the trial. You and your brothers are all that matters to me, but this guy is really dangerous and wouldn't hesitate to come after you."
"What about Dad?" Jeremy asked, thinking that this was the kind of thing he should be here for.
"Your dad is a federal agent. He can take care of himself." She knew he'd pick up on her evading that thought. "You and your brothers on the other hand I'd have to send away to someplace safe where I know this guy can't get you."
There it was again, the idea that their family would have to split up and his father was again left out of it. Jeremy again started to wonder if they were going to get a divorce. But maybe this was a blessing in disguise.
Jeremy focused his attention on her, "Mom, I told you that I'll look after them and that you shouldn't let this guy get away with whatever he's doing."
"I know." She said as she st down next to him and put an arm around him. "But you boys are my whole life. Without you nothing else matters. The charges are serious, the trial will be dangerous, and there are people that I barely know who are willing to put their lives on the line for me, and that more than anything is messing with my head."
Jeremy thought about what she was saying, about him, Jason and Justin being sent away. "Where would we go?"
"Far away," she said, "I can't tell you much right now but they're good people, good cops."
"And they can they keep us safe?" He asked her.
"There's one that I met, she said she'll keep you boys with her..." Abbie's voice trailed off.
"Her...?" Jeremy prompted.
Abbie looked at him trying to decide something. Finally she sucked in a breath, "Okay. I'm going to tell you something, but you can't say anything about it to anyone, not to your dad, your brothers, no one. It's that important."
"Okay?" He said, his attention firmly locked on her.
"Jeremy I'm serious. Until I make that call you have to keep it to yourself."
He nodded. "I got it. I never told Dad about you and Miss Cabot going out that weekend. Remember the one."
"Shut up." She groaned, remembering when she and her friend had ditched their responsibilities and spent a weekend in Atlantic City. "You've got a memory like an elephant."
He chuckled. "Okay Mom I promise, I won't say anything."
She glared at him, but nodded. "There is this person that I met. She's tied to the case and she's offered to take you, Justin, and Jason in while I do what I have to do here."
"And you're not sure if we'll be safe."
"No that's the thing, I believe her when she says you'll be safe, but there's two things you should know. The first is that she's married... to another woman."
"So she's gay." He shrugged. "You taught us never to judge people that way."
She nodded. "A lesson I learned from an old friend I had in New York."
"So what's the big deal?" He asked as she got up and picked her cell phone up off the bathroom counter.
"The big deal is that Jane looks almost exactly like me." She brought up a picture and handed it to him. "Can you tell the difference?"
His eyes widened at the image. A pretty blonde woman about his mother's age sat in between what looked like two of his mom.
"Holy cow!" He exclaimed and looked up at her. "Is she like your lost twin or something?"
Abbie shook her head, "She's six years younger than me and she's Italian, not Scottish. The woman in the middle is her wife and Jane promised me that no matter what happens, you boys will stay with her wife and you'll be safe."
He stared at the picture. "You believe her?"
Abbie nodded, "I do. Alex knows them too and said they won't let anything happen to you there."
Jeremy sighed. "How long would we be gone?"
Abbie shook her head. "I don't know for sure, a couple of weeks before the arrest is made and I send you away. A month or two after that for trial."
"What about Dad?" He asked.
"He can't just leave." She said, "and when we make the arrest and the news breaks, Jane won't let anyone she doesn't know anywhere near Maura for fear of her being hurt. You guys will be right there with her too so I know you'll be safe."
Jeremy's eyes drifted down to the floor as he contemplated what she was saying. The woman in the picture must be someone special for his mom to entrust her with their safety. But just what his mom said about Jane not letting anyone near Maura told him that their dad wouldn't know where they are. She wouldn't do something like this if it wasn't important. His dad however, Jeremy didn't want to think about what his dad would do when he came home to an empty house, but he felt that he had to remind her.
"Dad will go ape shit when he finds us gone."
"Watch your mouth!" She scolded.
"It's the truth, Mom. You know how Dad is, what he's been like lately. You think I don't know, but I do. Maybe while we're gone you guys can work things out."
"I haven't made up my mind," she said and sat down next to him again. "I can walk away and keep you safe."
Jeremy took her hand. "But it's not the right thing to do. The right thing to do is to stand up for what you believe in. You've always stood up for the people who got hurt and you said they're good people. You should take the case and stand up for them. It's going to suck not having you around, but you believe in this or you wouldn't be so torn. We've always out weighed your cases until this one. So it must be pretty important."
She nodded, "It is."
He stood up and pulled her up to her feet. "Do what's right, Mom. Take the case."
She hugged him, harder than he liked but he didn't complain.
She cupped the back of his head like when he was a baby. "Quit growing up on me."
He smiled into her shoulder. "I can't help that."
She nodded and let him go, "Now go drink your cocoa and go to sleep. You've got a big game tomorrow."
He nodded, kissing her cheek and left the room.